Ahead of his return at UFC 302 next month, undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has revealed his long-time friend and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov told him prior to his 2019 title fight with Dustin Poirier – how he was planning to allow the Lafayette native to search for a guillotine choke during their fight in Abu Dhabi.
Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight titleholder, is slated to headline UFC 302 next month in New Jersey, taking on former interim champion, Poirier – marking his first outing inside the Octagon this year.
Dustin Poirier was seemingly allowed to put Khabib Nurmagomedov in guillotine
And plotting a submission win over the veteran Louisiana native, who makes his third attempt to strike undisputed gold at the lightweight limit, Makhachev emphatically claimed he would finish the former with a dominant submission victory – claiming the bout would be a relatively “easy” pairing for him.
“Ever time when he (Dustin Poirier) fights the champion, somebody chokes him,” Islam Makhachev told Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen. “Now, I have to prepare something special. And we did, in the gym. I have something special for the next fight.”
And soon to share another common-foe with Hall of Fame inductee, Khabib Nurmagomedov in the form of Poirier, Makhachev shared an interesting insight into the former’s fight with the guillotine choke-chasing challenger back in 2019, claiming he was allowed to search for the choke, in a master ploy from the American Kickboxing Academy ace.
“Before the fight, I swear to God, Khabib (Nurmagomedov) told me, ‘Hey, catch me in guillotine, I have to feel [it],’” Islam Makhachev explained. “I will give him my beck and make him tired, and what we did in the locker room before the fight.”
What are your thoughts on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s pre-plan for Dustin Poirier?